Director's statement

Deep Run is my first feature film; the seed of the film was planted after I spent 2004 working on youth voter mobilization and anti-Bush protest performances. I was devastated by the election results. Disenchanted with the American electorate, I began searching for a documentary subject, and I discovered the youth culture of evangelical millennials. I ended up meeting some amazing folks who had a rock venue/skate park/Christian youth center in their living room in Kinston, NC, and through that circle of rebel underground Christians, I was introduced to Cole. And then I simply fell in love with Cole and his story and his spirit. I wanted to make a film that would challenge the thinking of progressive and LGBTQ audiences and also challenge the perceptions of people of faith. First and foremost, I was drawn to Cole in order to create a portrait of Cole. It was always about Cole _ the entire human being _ and that is more than a 'trans story.'

This is part of our Daring Docs playlist.